366 



group equivalent to the Carabites, Dytiscites, and Gyrinites. We 

 have abundant evidence in the testimony of Mr. Davis and Mr. Hig- 

 gins that these insects are not aquatic, although they assume the form 

 and even structural characters of aquatic groups. I think, therefore, 

 there is no choice but to raise them to a rank equal to that of the 

 other orders, and to apply to them a name indicative of the genus 

 first described.* The order at present contains but a single — 



Family. — Pseudomorphid.e, Newman, 

 whose characters must consequently be those of the order. 



50. Adelotopus inquinatus. Nitidus, glaber, ater, elytrorum apex 



late rufus, abdominis apex quoque rufus. (Corp. long. '35 unc. 



lat. "IS unc.) 

 Under bark of Eucalyptus. The head is very convex, rounded in 

 front, and its outline almost continuous with that of the prothorax : 

 prothorax very convex transversely, but nearly straight longitudinally ; 

 its lateral margins slightly dilated ; the dilated portion recurved, and 

 the sides of the head slightly produced ; the posterior angles rounded : 

 the scutellum is apparent as a mere point : the elytra are long, trans- 

 versely very convex, the sides parallel, with a shghtly dilated and 

 recurved margin : the apex broadly truncate ; the angles of the trun- 

 cature rounded : the abdomen protruding considerably beyond the 

 elytra : the entire insect above is smooth and shining ; the abdomen 

 beneath manifestly shining : the legs are very short ; the femora 

 greatly dilated and oval : the metasternum is produced posteriorly 

 into two divaricating lobes, as in the genus Dytiscus. 



51. Adelotopus Scoty tides. Nitidus, glaber, ater, scutelli marginibus 



et elytrorum apicibus piceis: abdomen fusco-ferrugineum. (Corp. 



long. "225 imc. lat. '1 unc.) 

 Found with the preceding, under bark of Eucalyptus. The anten- 

 nae are very small, flattened, and the divisions of the joints are exhi- 

 bited rather as transverse striae than obvious divisions ; they however 

 follow the normal form, as figured in the illustrations of Mr. Hope's 

 paper :t the scutellum is large and triangular : the elytra are dorsally 

 much flatter than in the species previously described ; they are broadly 



* Pseudomorpha excrucians, Kirhy, Trans. Linn. Soc. xiv. The same insect has 

 subsequently been described by Dejean as Axinophorus Lecoutei, and again as Drepa- 

 niis Lecontei : the name Drepanns appears to have been proposed by Illiger, but no 

 definition was given. 



t Trans. Ent. Soc. of London, vol. i. pi. 1, fig. 1 — 9. 



